Admit it. Peeling those little stickers off fruits and veggies is annoying. And those pesky labels waste paper and ink, too. They bugged Dr. Qingyue Ling enough that he’s adapted laser technology to find a way to get rid of them. Two years ago Ling, a researcher at Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center in Portland, investigated the idea and, to his astonishment, discovered nobody had thought of it. “My mind went wild,” he says. Ling’s food laser is a heat-energy beam that rapidly peels away the surface layer of the item; the strength of the laser can adjust for varying textures and thicknesses so it minimizes any damage to the food. But don’t expect to see laser-labeled produce for at least a couple of years. More study is needed on how it alters the composition of food and what, if any, effect it has on humans when the food is eaten. Work also is being done on a clear, edible coating that immediately seals the lasered label to retain freshness. Now all we need is an invention that eradicates those pesky tax collectors.

JASON SHUFFLER

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BY JACOB PALMER | DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR

Oregon's roads are crumbling, and revenues from state and local gas taxes are not sufficient to pay for improvements. We asked readers if the private sector should help fund transportation maintenance and repairs. Research partner CFM Strategic Communications conducted the poll of 366 readers in February.

Reader comments:

"I feel private enterprises are capable of operating at a higher efficiency than state government."

"This has been used in Oregon since the mid-1800s. It is not a new financing method. This form of financing may help Oregon close its infrastructure deficit by leveraging funds."

BY JACOB PALMER

Most of the food Americans consume is trucked in from hundreds of miles away. Eric Wilson, co-founder and CEO of Gro-volution, wants to change that. So this past spring, the Air Force veteran and former greenhouse manager started work on an alternative farming system he claims is more efficient than conventional agriculture, and also shortens the distance between the consumer and the farm.

BY STUART WATSON

BY JON SHADEL

The technology industry is always in flux. And this rapid rate of change poses challenges to companies ranging from nimble startups aiming to make their mark to established organizations fighting to remain relevant. This is particularly true in the competitive digital display market, where an Oregon company has been at the forefront of nearly every major breakthrough in the last three decades.

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Robert S. Wiggins has joined Lane Powell as a Shareholder in the Corporate/M&A Practice Group. Wiggins is a well-known lawyer, entrepreneur, and investor with more than 30 years of experience leading and advising established and emerging companies in the Pacific Northwest. Wiggins will focus his practice on offering outside general counsel services, including general corporate and board representation, business transactions and capital events.